"No disciplinary action will be taken" - ATP releases statement after concluding Zverev abuse investigation
ATP
The ATP won't take any disciplinary measures against Alexander Zverev after an independent investigation found insufficient evidence to do so.
Zverev's ex-girlfriend, Olga Sharypova, accused the German tennis player of abuse in a magazine interview. Shortly after those accusations were made public, Zverev quickly denied them.
After a lot of pressure from the outside, the ATP announced in October 2021 that they would be conducting an independent investigation of the matter to determine whether any disciplinary action should be taken.
Zverev recently claimed that he was relaxed about the investigation, which seemed to have indicated his innocence, which he claimed since the start.
Things looked oddly suspicious when it was revealed that the ATP never contacted Sharypova to hear her side of the story. Now, 15 months after the investigation began, the ATP published the conclusion, saying "no disciplinary action will be taken."
"A major independent investigation into Alexander Zverev has found insufficient evidence to substantiate published allegations of abuse. As a result, no disciplinary action will be taken by ATP."
The investigation concluded that there was not enough evidence to suggest the accusations were true. According to the reports, Zverev was cooperative during the investigation.
The ATP's report stated that The Lake Forest Group (LFG) carried out the investigation, with both Zverev and Sharypova doing interviews.
On top of that, 24 other people were involved in it, as the investigation looked into alleged abuse mostly at the 2019 Shanghai Masters, but also incidents that should have taken place in Monaco, New York, and Geneva.
"The investigation was carried out by The Lake Forest Group (LFG), a third-party investigator. LFG conducted extensive interviews with both Sharypova and Zverev, and 24 other individuals including family and friends, tennis players, and other parties involved with the ATP Tour."
While the investigation was concluded, the ATP also emphasized that it could be re-opened at any time if any new evidence appears.
"This determination may however be re-evaluated should new evidence come to light, or should any legal proceedings reveal violations of ATP rules. Zverev has consistently denied all allegations and supported ATP's investigation."
